Magazines Of The Month.

And if ye clouds make dark ye skie , Then neate and fowles this year shall die ; If blustering winds do blow aloft , Then wars shall trouble ye realm full oft . "

These concern Candlemas Day—February 14 th N . S . —there being more proverbs relating to this than any other day in the year . " If Candlemas Day be fair and clear , There'll be twa winters in the year . "

" As far as the sun shines in on Candlemas Day , So far the snow will blow in aforo old May . " " The hind had as lief see his wife on the bier , As that Candlemas Day should bo pleasant and clear . " Tho following , from the French , is iu agreement with our English experience :

" A la Chandeleur Grand froid , grand neigo ! S'il fait beau l ' ours sorb do sa taniere Fait trois tours , Et rentre pour quaranto jours . "

The most interesting features in tho Sunday at Home , are the second of Dr . Stoughton's series of papers on " Westminster Abbey , " and the continuation of " A Jew's First Impressions of England , and First Intercourse with Christians . " We must also mention , among the " Pages for the Young , " a short tale of no little interest , entitled " The Young Huguenot . "

The Drama.

THE DRAMA .

The Royal Duke ' s . —Miscellaneous . WITHIN a very short space of time tho Holborn has twice changed its name , to little purpose . Its career , from the commencement , with but a single exception , has been an unbroken series of misfortunes The attempt to loosen the spell by a change of name was made by Mr . Horace Wigan , not a very long time since , and for a season the

theatre was known as The Mirror . But whatever tho mirror reflected it was certainly not success , and we have now to chronicle the assumption of a second alias , viz ., tho EOYAL DUKE ' S . The play selected to inaugurate tho new name is a semi-historical drama , by Mr . H . T . Craven , entitled Too True . We fear we cannot prophesy a lengthened

run for this production . Unlike most other of Mr . Craven s plays , Too True is wanting iu sustained interest . The plot is loosely constructed , and the characters generally inartistically drawn . Mr . Craven , Miss Louisa Moore , and Mr . Eighton , who sustain the principal burden of the performance , do their utmost to save the play from failure , but

their efforts are only partially successful . The piece will never draw , and may as well at once be withdrawn . The after piece , the ever welcome Black Eyed Susan , runs as merrily as of yore . The present winter has been a fatal one for actors . George Belmore , Eogers ( of the Haymarket ) , and tho veteran Frederic Lemaitre ,

have made their final exits from the world , whilst Fechter has been compelled to havo ono of his legs amputated , and the late railway accident lost Dion Boucicault a son . A new burlesque , Cracked Heads , a parody on Gilbert's Broken Hearts , has been produced at the STRAND .

BAD EYESIGHT . —Many people complain of fatigue in tho eyes , or weakness of sight ; they cannot read or write for any length of time without the page becoming indistinct aud the letters running into each other . These are symptoms which can be removed by attention to the general health , rest , tonics , and frequently ( three or four times a day ) bathing the forehead and eyes with cold water . But

never neglect them . Cold bathing to the whole body every day , making a habit of it , in fact , is a grand conservation of sight . Foi this purpose , if the person can bear it , the shower-bath is the best , But in taking a plunge-bath , alwaydash a little water in the face first , then spring boldly in ; don't take the water a toe at a time . When your eyes are at all weak , never work or read in the twilight , and never go out in very bright sunshine , especially if the ground is

covered with snow . Out in Greenland , after shooting for live or six hours on the ice , we used always to come on board as hungry as hawks , bnt blind as moles . We were all right while ou the snow , but the steward had to lead us to the table , and assist us in eating . In about two hours wo came round again . This snow-blindness is caused in a great measure by extreme contraction of the pupil . Cold water to the eyes and a few whiffs of chloroform tend to dispel it . —By a Family Doctor , in " Cassell ' s Family Magazine " for February .

GREAT PUBLISHING UNDERTAKING . —The most superbly illustrated work ever yet produced on so comprehensive a scale is announced for immediate publication , under the title of "Picturesque Europe . " It has been for several years in preparation , and will present a complete descriptive and elaborate pictorial illustration of the greater part of tho European Continent , by bringing together , in a form

never before attempted , representations of the numberless objects of Nature and of Art which make Great Britain and the Continent so pre-eminently picturesque . Tho illustrations will consist of exquisitely-engraved steel plates , aud of engravings on wood , rivalling tho productions on steel . All these will be absolutely new and original

drawings , executed from recent sketches taken ou the spot by eminent artists who have visited the various parts of Europe for the purpose . " Picturesque Europe" will bo published in monthly parts by Messrs . Cassell Petter and Galpin , and the first part will be published the 1 st of March ,

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

— : o : — We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

GRAND LODGE HONOURS . To tlie Editor 0 / THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAK SIR AND BROTHER , —Can yon inform me how I am to proceed to obtain Grand Lodge Honours ? That I am worthy , no one can deny ; my failings are diffidence , and a want of that modesty which usually characterises parasites and sycophants .

I havo been told that I should rise to eminence by merit , live respected , and die regretted ; the first I have failed to realise , the second I hold in proud and enviable veneration , and the third is not likely to be posthumously proclaimed , as I am a bachelor , with a fortune , and a myriad of poor but deserving relatives . I find upon analysis that many bedizened brethren are conspicuous by their inaptitude for Masonic duty , and particularly by

the absence of their names from the list of subscribers to our Charities . In tho land of my adoption ( America ) brethren aro raised according to proficiency , service , and benevolence ; but , in London , it appears that intellect , merit and charity are not requisite qualifications for the council who dispense Masonic favours . Your kind reply to my question will b esteemed .

I am , Dear Sir and Brother Yours fraternally , LEGITIMATE AMBITION . Lincoln , 1 st Feb . 1876 .

PLURALITY . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . SIR , —Pluralism is justly condemned , whether in political or clerical circles , for two reasons , one—that the aggrandizement of the individual tends to his greater selfishness ; tho other—that damage is done to tho community by depriving efficient persons of tho opportunity , which they would otherwise have , of serving their church or their

country . But , unfortunately , the same evil which we deplore in other bodies exists likewise in the Craft , and we find brethren , doubtless of great qualifications , filling various posts in different Lodges—as , I think—to the detriment of tho Craft , by tho unnecessary repression of junior brethren , whoso opportunity of advancement is barred by the fact

that offices to which they might reasonably aspire are already filled by those who hold posts in other Lodges . I do not doubt that in some cases such state of things may be desirable—as , for instance , it may be expedient that a brother may be Master of two Lodges at one and tho same time , but then a dispensation from the Grand Master

must be obtained , and I think a similar dispensation should be ( and iudeed is far more ) necessary in tho case of inferior offices . I am desirous of bringing the subject , at a future time , before tho Grand Lodge , but should be glad if you would allow the matter to be ventilated in your columns , that I may be enabled to gauge public opinion on the subject .

1 am , Yours faithfully and fraternally , A PAST MASTER .

HONOUR TO WHOM HONOUR IS DUE . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . SIR , —I see that the Great City Lodge paid a fraternal visit to her sister Lodge at Westminster , such being considered to mark an era in the annals of Freemasonry . Will yon allow me , on behalf of a Devon Lodge , to state that wc , almost the youngest Lodge in the province , havo , for more than twelve months , been in the habit of inviting the

whole of the brethren of a Lodge in a neighbouring town to visit us , which they havo done , en masse ; they have reciprocated by giving ns invitations in return , and wo have visited them , almost all our members attending , although our two towns are twelve miles distant and we have no railway . These visits havo given an opportunity of exchanging fraternal courtesies , to our mutual advantage . I saw a

report of one of onr visits iu the " FRKEMASON ' CHRONICLL " a few months since , and as such visits cannot tail to benefit , atl concerned , I was very glad to see "The Great City " walking in the steps oi its humble provincial sister Lodge , and hope that country Lodges e ,-. pe .-i 1 il v —which the more need each other ' s help—will thus strengthen ea . h other , to their benefit aud to the advantage of the whole Craft . Yours truly , X . Y . Z .

CLUB HoiraE PLATING CARDS . —Mogul Quality , pickei' Is ; t : l pei i--c k ; . per dozen packs . Do . seconds Is per nm-k . lis iei 'h' 7011 \\ : trl- I \ : \ cost Hd per pack extra . Cards for liquet . Hezii ' iue , EuartiS , XL ., Qxi'ity lod pet pack , 9 s per dozen packs . —London i W . W . Morgan 87 Barbican . JJ , 0 , *